Students welcome free education announcement
The South African Students Congress has welcomed President Jacob Zuma's announcement that poor and working class students will receive free higher education from 2018.
Zuma says those who qualify will receive funding in the form of government grants and not loans.
SASCO's Lwando Majiza says yesterday's announcement is the result of a long struggle by studens.
"We think the government has responded well and we do believe that the pressure exerted by students through protests and other measures has yielded results. Rubber bullets, tear gas and harsh conditions of being expelled from universities is proven to open doors to higher education," he said.
President Zuma announced yesterday that students classified as poor and working class would receive funding from next year.
Poor and working class students have been described as students from South African households with a combined annual income of up to R350,000.
SASCO's Lwando Majiza says yesterday's announcement is the result of a long struggle by studens.
"We think the government has responded well and we do believe that the pressure exerted by students through protests and other measures has yielded results. Rubber bullets, tear gas and harsh conditions of being expelled from universities is proven to open doors to higher education," he said.
President Zuma announced yesterday that students classified as poor and working class would receive funding from next year.
Poor and working class students have been described as students from South African households with a combined annual income of up to R350,000.
The announcement was made on day one of the ANC's National Elective Conference in Nasrec, south of Johannesburg.